Lincoln ready to resign as Center School principal

Date: 12/29/2008

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



LONGMEADOW It wasn't all that long ago when Dr. Robert Lincoln, principal of Center School, was singing the Beatles' song "When I'm 64" on his sixty-fourth birthday.

"You know, 'Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm sixty-four?'" he joked.

Now that he's 65, he feels that it's time for him to slow down.

Lincoln gave his letter of resignation to the School Committee and Superintendent E. Jahn Hart on Dec. 18. "The reason [behind my resignation] is my desire for more vacation days than the contract provides," Lincoln wrote in the letter.

"I've been in business a very long time," he told Reminder Publications. "I've retired from the Connecticut school system already. I have no desire to retire [from Longmeadow]; I've already had a retirement party."

Lincoln will officially be resigning his position effective June 30, 2009. From that point, he said he'll be looking perhaps to do something at a nearby college or maybe at another school.

Unlike the students in the Longmeadow school system, principals do not get the opportunity to take entire weeks off during the school year, and only receive two weeks of vacation over summer break.

"This is a wonderful town," Lincoln said. "Longmeadow has great people. I've enjoyed the beautiful scene, looking out over the green from Center School.

"I just want a less rigorous work schedule," he continued.

The School Committee regretfully accepted his resignation letter at their Dec. 22 meeting. Committee member Armand Wray, a parent of a Center School student, thanked Lincoln for his service and the way he would "go above and beyond."

"All of us wish you well in your next endeavor," Wray said.

Hart said the search for Lincoln's replacement will begin in January.